Application Process

FAFSA Process Checklist: 2011-12

FAFSA Process Checklist: 2012-13

Introduction

All undergraduate and graduate students must complete the entire Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process after January 1 of each year in order to receive consideration for federal aid (including federal student loans) for the upcoming academic year.

Note: Students who wish to apply for HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship may either complete the FAFSA each year, or complete the HOPE Scholarship Application (GSFAPPS) once.

The FAFSA application process is used to determine your eligibility for aid such as:

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Direct Student Loans
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan for Undergraduate Students
Federal Direct Graduate and Professional PLUS Loans
Student Access Loan
Limited funded federal campus-based aid such as:

Important Dates

To have aid awarded and available in time for payment toward school charges, please review important dates.

Federal PIN for Students and Parents

Those students and parents who completed a FAFSA for a previous Academic Year should have received a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the U. S. Department of Education. Your Federal Student Aid PIN, along with your personal information serves as your electronic signature when entered on the FAFSA on the Web site. The PIN also serves as an identifier to let you access your personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems. Because your PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides you access to personal information, do not share it with anyone.

Students and parents of dependent students can create their own PINs, or request that Federal Student Aid generate a PIN for them that is displayed on the screen in real-time, or request that the PIN be e-mailed in real-time, or request to have the PIN sent through postal mail. You can go to http://www.pin.ed.gov to request a PIN. Once you receive your PIN, you can then complete and submit the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Each and every year students and their families must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate award year if they wish to apply for federal financial aid (including federal student loans). HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship students must also complete the FAFSA each year if they never completed a GSFAPPS.

We encourage you to complete the appropriate award year FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) which is available on January 1 of each year. Visit the FOTW site at http://www.fafsa.gov for more information. Students and parents who file online via the FOTW make fewer errors, are usually able to use the FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process; therefore, they are able to complete the FAFSA process much faster than those who file a paper FAFSA. Please be careful and use the official U. S. Department of Education FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) site because there are numerous commercial sites with very similar Web addresses which charge you a fee to complete the application.

When completing a FAFSA, use your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. Do not use nicknames, abbreviations, or middle names as first names. The U. S. Department of Education requires your name on the FAFSA to identically match your name on Social Security Administration records. You will be required to submit additional information if there is a name conflict.

Remember to list the UGA Title IV (Federal) school code (001598) in the "School Selection" section of the FAFSA.

Completing The 2011-12 FAFSA

You must complete the 2011-12 FAFSA in order to apply for federal student aid for the Fall 2011, Spring 2012, and/or Summer 2012 terms. The 2011-12 FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) was available as of January 1, 2011.

The latest date you can submit a 2011-12 FAFSA to the U.S. Department of Education for processing is June 30, 2012, and the FAFSA must be processed by the U.S. Department of Education Central Processing System (CPS) prior to the last date of your enrollment for the 2011-12 Academic Year. However, in order to be considered for any retroactive federal student aid for the 2011-12 Award Year, you must also complete the Financial Aid Process while still enrolled and otherwise eligible.

Prior to completing the actual 2011-12 FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), we strongly encourage students (and parents) to first review the "7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA; A Student's Guide to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid" tutorial.

Remember to list the UGA Title IV (Federal) school code (001598) in the "School Selection" section of the FAFSA.

Completing The 2012-13 FAFSA

You must complete the 2012-13 FAFSA in order to apply for federal student aid for the Fall 2012, Spring 2013, and/or Summer 2013 terms. The 2012-13 FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) is available January 1, 2012.

The latest date you can submit a 2012-13 FAFSA to the U.S. Department of Education for processing is June 30, 2013, and the FAFSA must be processed by the U.S. Department of Education Central Processing System (CPS) prior to the last date of your enrollment for the 2012-13 Academic Year. However, in order to be considered for any retroactive federal student aid for the 2012-13 Award Year, you must also complete the Financial Aid Process while still enrolled and otherwise eligible.

Prior to completing the actual 2012-13 FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), we strongly encourage students (and parents) to first review the "7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA; A Student's Guide to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid" tutorial.

Remember to list the UGA Title IV (Federal) school code (001598) in the "School Selection" section of the FAFSA.

Paper FAFSA

If you prefer to complete a paper FAFSA, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-433-3243 or you may download a PDF version of the appropriate year FAFSA from the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW).

Important Dates for Non-Limited Need-Based Funds

Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loans are NOT limited federal funds and you can apply and be awarded any time during the academic year if you still meet all eligibility criteria at the time you complete the FAFSA process.

However, if you wish to have the aid awarded and available in time for it to apply toward the charges made to your student account before classes are cancelled for non-payment of your Account (payment deadlines are available on the Bursar Web site www.bursar.uga.edu/deadlines.html), you must complete the FAFSA process prior to the Important Dates for 2011-12.

Important Dates for Limited Need-Based Funds Consideration

Federal Campus-Based funds such as the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Perkins Loan, and OSFA awarded scholarships are limited funds.

Students who annually complete the FAFSA process no later than March 15 will comprise the initial group of students who receive priority consideration when we are determining who meets the eligibility criteria for these limited funds. This initial priority consideration group of students is then reviewed on a "first-come-first-served" basis which is defined by using the later of either the date they completed the FAFSA process or the date they were admitted to the University. It is important to understand that all of these limited funds can be exhausted even before all the students in the initial priority consideration group have been awarded!

If any funds are still available after we have considered and awarded all the eligible students in the initial priority consideration group, we then award any remaining funds to eligible students on a "first-come-first-served" as defined above until the limited funds are exhausted.

Completion of FAFSA Process Defined

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process is completed when we [the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA)] have received from the U.S. Department of Education's Central Processing System (CPS) the valid Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) from the student's FAFSA, the student/family have completed the Verification of FAFSA Information (if selected), and furnished us any other required documentation (citizenship, Selective Service registration, etc.).

Federal Income Tax Information and The FAFSA On The Web (FOTW) IRS Data Retrieval Process

When completing the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), students and parents of dependent students (the students required to provide parental information on the FAFSA) who have filed applicable year federal income tax returns are able to retrieve, directly from the IRS, certain income information they reported on their tax returns. Utilizing the IRS Data Retrieval Process can significantly reduce the time it takes to complete the FAFSA process.

According to the U. S. Department of Education, approximately 84 percent of FOTW applicants qualify to use the FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process. The Department of Education strongly encourages students and the parents of dependent students to utilize the FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process at the time they initially compete the FOTW. When applicants have not filed their federal tax returns at the time they initially complete the FOTW, they should later use the FOTW corrections process to access their IRS information using the IRS Data Retrieval Process and correct their estimated tax year income information.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, applicants who electronically file their IRS income tax returns can expect their tax return information to be available for retrieval and transfer to the FOTW within two to three weeks of filing the tax return. Information for paper tax return filers will generally be available within eight weeks of filing the tax return.

FOTW Applicants Not Eligible to Use the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) IRS Data Retrieval Process

The following applicants are not eligible to use the FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process and instead must use the figures from their completed federal income tax return to enter the requested income information on the FOTW:

Parents of a dependent student filed separate federal income tax returns.

Student or Parent of a dependent student had a change in marital status after the end of the applicable tax year reported on the FOTW.

Student, student’s spouse, or parent of dependent student filed an amended federal tax return.

Student and spouse filed separate federal tax returns.

2012-13 FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) IRS Data Retrieval Process

Although the 2012-13 FOTW will be available on January 1, 2012, the U. S. Department of Education has announced that the 2012-13 FAFSA-IRS Data Retrieval Process will not be available to 2012-13 FOTW applicants until February 1, 2012. Therefore, students and parents of dependent students who complete the 2012-13 FOTW January 1, 2012 through January 31, 2012, or who complete the FOTW before they have filed their federal income tax returns, should subsequently use the FOTW corrections process to access their IRS information using the FAFSA-IRS Data Retrieval Process and update their FAFSA income information.

Important Notice - Students and/or parents who are required to file a 2011 federal income tax return and choose not to use the 2012-13 FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process or are not eligible to use the FOTW IRS Data Retrieval Process, will be subject to being selected for Verification of their FAFSA information.

The Student Aid Report (SAR) & The Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR)

After the U.S. Department of Education Central Processing System (CPS) processes your FAFSA, they produce an output document that reflects the information you provided on your FAFSA, along with your calculated Expected Family Contribution (EFC), as well as the results of the eligibility matches and any indentified inconsistencies. The output document you are provided is called the Student Aid Report (SAR) while the output document we are provided is called the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). If you provide your e-mail address on your FAFSA, the CPS will email you a direct link to the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) login page with instructions on how to view your SAR.

Review your SAR for accuracy. If your SAR needs corrections (which means you entered incorrect information when you completed your FAFSA), please correct the errors. If the SAR is correct, do not submit it to OSFA.

UGA Financial Aid Application Status

Students who have applied for aid but do not have an estimated Early Award on OASIS or have not received a UGA email notification of their Financial Aid Award can review their financial aid award status by accessing the "Application Status" option under the Student Financial Aid Menu on the UGA OASIS system. Application Status will indicate if and what additional information we still need to complete your aid application process.

Verification of FAFSA Information

The U.S. Department of Education created the Verification Process to confirm the accuracy of information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). By federal regulation, the post secondary institution in which the student is enrolled is responsible for conducting the Verification process on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education!

UGA students selected for Verification cannot be awarded any federal student aid until they complete the process and the UGA Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) has transmitted to and received any necessary FAFSA corrections from the U.S. Department of Education.

Your Student Aid Report (SAR) may indicate your FAFSA was selected for Verification. However, UGA participates in the U.S. Department of Education's Quality Assurance Program (QAP); therefore, the UGA Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) annually establishes the Verification selection criteria, as well as the Verification policy and procedures applicable to UGA students. For this reason only students who receive Verification notification e-mails from OSFA are required to complete the Verification Process at UGA. Even if your SAR does not indicate you have been selected by the U.S. Department of Education, you will be required to complete the Verification Process if we select your FAFSA for Verification.

Click here for 2011-12 Verification Process Information

Click here for 2012-13 Verification Process Information

We will e-mail the student (and/or parents when applicable) when we need additional information or documentation. Please respond promptly to prevent processing delays.

Annual Verification Deadline and Consequences of Missing Deadline

As previously noted, UGA students selected for Verification cannot be awarded any federal student aid until they complete the process. There is also a deadline after which the verification process can no longer be completed for the selected award year.

Students and parents (when required) must submit to OSFA all requested documents necessary to complete the verification process the earlier of either:

the 90th calendar day following the student's last date of attendance at UGA for the award year selected for Verification; or
September 1 of the award year immediately following the award year selected for Verification.

Example: A student completes 2011-12 FAFSA prior to Fall semester 2011. Her SAR is selected for verification and OSFA emails the student requesting verificaion documentation. Student attends Fall semester which ends on December 15, 2011. Student does not enroll for Spring semester 2012. In order for OSFA to determine the student's federal aid eligibility, OSFA must receive all requested documentation no later than 90 calendar days following December 15, 2011 since that would be earlier than September 1, 2012.

Failure to provide all requested documentation prior to the earlier of the two dates above will result in the student not being awarded any federal aid for the award year! Also see Retroactive Federal Student Aid for additional deadlines regarding the late awarding of federal student aid.

Early Estimated Awards

Many students complete the FAFSA process or are awarded a scholarship prior to our receiving the Academic Year tuition information needed to generate the official Web based Financial Aid Award. Our estimated Early Award provides a reasonable estimate of upcoming financial aid awards. We stop providing estimated Early Awards once we began generating the official Financial Aid Awards for the year.

Financial Aid Awards

Financial Aid Awards are accessed on the UGA Online Access to Student Information Systems (OASIS). All UGA students are required to create a MyID which will then create a UGA e-mail address. We use your UGA e-mail address as the official mechanism to notify you of the availability of your Financial Aid Award on UGA OASIS.

If you have not yet created a MyID, we will e-mail you at the address you provided on your UGA Admissions application. It is very mportant that you regularly check your e-mail account and delete old e-mails in order to avoid reaching your disk space capacity; otherwise your electronic Award notification may be rejected by your account. Read more information about e-mail notifications from OSFA, on the E-mail Information Web Page.

When you access your Award on OASIS, review all Award messages and the information we provide concerning the types of aid included on your Award. If your Award includes the offer of Federal Work-Study (FWS) assistance and/or student loans, you will be directed to accept or cancel your aid in OASIS. We automatically pre-accept any gift aid you may be awarded (HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant etc.) at the time of the award. We also notify applicants who requested aid that is not available.

Important Student Loan Notice

NEW federal student loan borrowers who are eligible for and request a Federal Direct Loan or a Federal Direct Parent (PLUS) Loan and have accepted the awarded loan(s) will receive written instructions from the Student Accounts Department in the Bursar's Office directing them to complete the Web-based Master Promissory Note (MPN).

In addition, first time federal student loan borrowers will be directed to complete the federally required Web based loan entrance counseling. Student borrowers who received a Federal Direct Loan at UGA during the previous academic year generally will not be required to sign another Promissory Note for the current academic year. Please refer to the Loan Programs section of this Web site for additional information regarding the Federal Direct Loan Program.

Completion of the Financial Aid Process Defined

IMPORTANT - Students have completed the financial aid application process once they confirm their acceptance of any awarded loans and/or Federal Work-Study and, if applicable, their Web based Federal Direct Loan Promissory Note and federal loan entrance counseling have been correctly completed and submitted.

Students who meet all basic student eligibility requirements will have their eligibility for aid determined once OSFA has received their valid electronic SAR, and, if selected, all requested Verification documentation.